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SPEAKER EMERITUS PÉREZ KEEPS UP BARRAGE OF ENDORSEMENTS IN CA-34 BID

LOS ANGELES, CA — 24 hours after announcing his campaign to fill the soon-to-be vacated California 34th Congressional district seat following Congressman Xavier Becerra’s nomination as Attorney General of California by Governor Jerry Brown, today former California State Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez unveiled another significant wave of endorsements, including:

U.S. Congresswoman Julia Brownley

U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu

U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman

U.S. Congressman Scott Peters

U.S. Congressman George Miller (Ret.)

State Senator Bob Wieckowski

State Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon

State Assembly Member Rich Gordon

Responding to news of the endorsements, Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez released the following statement: “It’s incredibly heartening to have the confidence and support of these widely respected leaders. George Miller is an icon, and California is lucky to have such esteemed Congress members as Julia Brownley, Ted Lieu, Jared Huffman and Scott Peters leading the charge against Donald Trump’s backwards agenda in Washington. Here in California, we’re counting on our highly regarded leaders like Senator Bob Wieckowski, Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon and Assembly Member Rich Gordon to serve on the front-lines against the federal government’s attempts to roll back all the years of positive progress our state’s made. I’m deeply grateful for all of their endorsements.”

This morning’s endorsements come on the heels of myriad other powerful endorsements Speaker Emeritus Pérez has received since jumping into the race yesterday, including:

California State Controller Betty Yee

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (Ret.)

U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass

U.S. Congresswoman Julia Brownley

U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu

U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman

U.S. Congressman Scott Peters

U.S. Congressman George Miller (Ret.)

California Board of Equalization Chair Fiona Ma

California Democratic Party First Vice Chair Alex Rooker

State Senator-elect Steven Bradford

State Senator Bob Wieckowski

State Senator Isadore Hall

State Senator Jerry Hill

State Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon

State Assembly Member Phil Ting

State Assembly Member Rich Gordon

State Assembly Member-elect Todd Gloria

State Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal (Ret.)

State Assembly Member Paul Fong (Ret.)

L.A. County Assessor Jeffrey Prang

Los Angeles City Council Member Bob Blumenfield

San Francisco County Supervisor David Campos

Yesterday, Speaker Emeritus Pérez released the following announcement statement as he entered the race to succeed Congressman Xavier Becerra in California’s 34th District:

“In the aftermath of November’s election nationwide, two facts are clearer than ever. The first is that we need to fight harder than ever to protect the progress we’ve made. The second is that California is the one place in the country where Democrats know how to win, and the one place in the country where government is working.

“I am proud to have played a role in enacting some of the most impactful legislation in the country to help poor and working class families, as well as the middle class on issues from college affordability to job training to public education, environmental justice, equality and more. I’m running for Congress to take these California values and our state’s visionary approach to the national level.

“California needs leadership who will stand up against Donald Trump, but also leadership that will fight for the poor, the middle class, for job creation, and for a vision that can help us win all across the country. These are a few of the reasons why I’m running for Congress.”

Speaker Emeritus Pérez previously represented large swaths of the 34th Congressional district while serving in the State Assembly. Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez is a University of California (UC) Regent, where he fights for college affordability and serves as a voice on behalf of students and parents.

From 2010-2014, Pérez served as Speaker of the California State Assembly, where he helped pass some of the most influential legislation in our state’s history on nearly every issue. Speaker Emeritus Pérez made history both by being the longest serving Speaker of the Assembly in the era of term limits, and by being the first openly LGBT leader of a State Legislative chamber in California. As a legislative leader, he also spearheaded efforts in 2012 to win an unprecedented super majority in the State Assembly.

While in the State Assembly, Speaker Emeritus Pérez authored legislation that created Covered California, the state’s healthcare exchange stemming from the Affordable Care Act, as well as the Middle Class Scholarship Act, that dramatically reduced public university tuition costs. During the height of the Great Recession, Speaker Emeritus Pérez inherited a $64 billion structural state deficit, and by the end of his tenure as Speaker, California was running a significant surpluses. Prior to his career as an elected official, Speaker Emeritus Pérez worked as a union organizer. He grew up in El Sereno and Highland Park.